Sunday, 31 January 2016

Despite being someone who only ever buys and wears ankle boots, for months now I've had my eye on a pair of over the knee boots. The only problem was, I couldn't find a single pair that I liked. They were either too baggy around my legs, made of a weird material or came with a stiletto heel. So I had pretty much given up all hope of ever finding a pair until, yet again, New Look came to my rescue.As soon as I saw them online I knew that I'd hit the over the knee boot jackpot and at just £44.99 I couldn't believe how perfect they looked. They also come in a burgundy shade, which have just went into the sale for £18. Talk about a bargain! They're made of the softest suedette fabric and they fit like a dream. The heel is also one that I can actually comfortably walk in, which isn't something that can be said for all boots and they just add so much to an outfit. I also love the addition of a zip as it makes it so much easier to pull them on and off with that little bit of extra room.

I absolutely adore the way that they look with skinny jeans or even tights or leggings underneath and as they are such a statement piece I've been keeping it simple with what I've been wearing them with. I thought that I would pair them with a pair of grey denims and on top; a black jumper and my heavy Winter coat. I would have done a full outfit post but it was far too cold to even contemplate unbuttoning my coat, to be honest.I've now finally been able to throw out my old and battered pair of Primark ankle boots (pictured above) that I've brought out every Winter for a good few years now. And now that I've found my dream pair of over the knee boots, I think it will be some time before I go back to my trusty ankle boots.What do you think of them? Are you a fan of over the knee boots? If so, like me, have you previously struggled to find your perfect pair? And what style of boots are your favourite to wear in the colder months?

Friday, 29 January 2016

It's that time of the month again and the first time in 2016, where I share some of my favourite blog posts from the month that has passed and here they are today;A Night In New York - It wouldn't be a Sharing The Blog Love post without me at least mentioning New York, now would it? Well the first of the two fantastic New York related blog posts in this month's post comes courtesy of Carrie. Her photography for this blog post alone makes me want to finally just take the plunge and book a trip to NYC right now! Christmas in New York is something that I definitely want to experience at least once in my life but until then I'll just need to experience it vicariously through Carrie's 'Night In New York'.Postcards Of New York - As I mentioned, as if one brilliant New York post wasn't enough, Sarah's shared her trip to the Big Apple and again the photographs are stunning. There's also an appearance of a squirrel or several which instantly made me smile and who wouldn't want to visit when everything's all festive and sparkly?Blogosphere Magazine Issue 7 Launch - After being invited along to this very launch party, as I wrote one of the feature articles in the issue, and being unable to make it down to London for it, it was great to see what I missed out on thanks to this fantastic post. It looks like it was a great night and it would have been absolutely fantastic to meet cover girl Samanatha Maria and some of the other contributors. Hopefully I'll be able to make it down for a future launch.Disney Haul - Surely I can't be the only one who regularly leaves Primark with quite a few Disney products? Whether it's cosy pyjamas, socks or slippers, I seem to be amassing quite the Disney collection despite being almost 24 years old. But how can you resist when you see them there right in front of you? Ionna's haul is one to really lust after.How To Attract, Improve And Maintain Relationships With PRs - I always find it incredibly helpful to read posts like these especially when the blogger behind them has experience in the field that they're offering up tips on. I've been really lucky to work with Stephanie, as a blogger collaborating with a PR but I've also read her blog for years now too. If you're looking to engage more with PRs this year then this is a must read for anyone wanting to do just that.Kikki.K: My New Stationery Obsession: Kikki.K are a brand that I've only recently discovered as a result of many of you recommending it to me on Twitter and Carrie has made me realise that not only do I want a few pieces but I basically need them. Hehe. The mindfulness journal and copper pot really are right up my street and I think that I might just need to bite the bullet and add these to my life as soon as I possibly can. How much stationery does a girl need? Well in my case, it appears that the answer is a lot.Free Weekly Blog Planner Printable - And last but certainly not least, Gillian has created the perfect weekly blogger planner and the best thing about it; it's free. Whilst I do like to plan out my blog posts for the month in advance and have to-do lists written all over the place, this planner combines a whole lot of planning onto one page. I also love the fact that it has lists for social media and emails as those are both aspects of blogging that I don't always remember to write down to remind myself to do but really should.What blogs and blog posts have you really enjoyed reading this month? Are there any blogs that you've discovered recently that you would like to share? And what blog posts do you have planned for the upcoming month/months?

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

When Fragrance Direct got in touch to ask if I would like to try out some new beauty bits for 2016 I was really excited. Whilst I did decide not to make any concrete resolutions this year (you might have seen my fashion resolution post though), the start of a new year is as good a reason as any to try and switch things up and explore new things. And as a result I found myself making a few beauty resolutions for 2016 without realising and here they are;Look out for more multi-purpose type products - One of the reasons that I didn't make a big fuss about making any New Year's resolutions this year was due to the fact that I can be quite lazy when it comes to achieving them. That or I give up on them completely after a few weeks and then think to myself, 'why on earth did I even bother?' Being a little bit lazy means that I'm always on the lookout for products to help streamline my beauty routine. And when it comes to multi-purpose products, I don't think there's one better or more applauded than the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil.* This oil can be used on the hair, all over the body and I've heard many mention that it's great on stretch marks too. Now if that doesn't sound like a winner, I don't know what else does.Find a fresh new fragrance - Last year despite trying out a variety of different perfumes, I kept returning to my current favourite; Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream. I have to admit, I hadn't heard a great deal about Calvin Klein Eternity Now For Her EDP* before it turned up at my door but boy am I glad that I was able to try it out. I definitely think I've found a new favourite, one that's fresh yet fruity (ie. my dream combination).Make bath-time more of a relaxing experience - Apart from the odd pamper day, which seemed to become even more infrequent than normal last year, when it comes to keeping clean I certainly favour jumping in the shower, doing what I need to do and jumping back out again. This year my aim, when it comes to showering and bathing, is to make it more of a relaxing and tranquil experience, instead of the frantic one that it tends to be. The Decleor Aroma Cleanse Shower And Bath Gel* is so refreshing and really makes me want to take my time and just enjoy my shower or bath. Who knows, I might even start lighting candles and taking a book with me into the bath! We'll see...Don't rely on baby wipes alone to remove your make-up - Despite blogging about beauty I have to say, most nights, especially if I'm particularly tired or just not in the mood to do anything, I reach for a pack of baby wipes to remove my make-up. *Pause for shock horror* So this year I really do want to make an effort to remove my make-up with something that will be significantly kinder on the skin. The Bobbi Brown Eye Make Up Remover* is incredibly gentle on the skin, leaves my skin feeling so fresh and removes all traces of make-up in a couple of swipes. Might it be bye bye baby wipes?

Have you tried any of the products in today's post? If so, what do you think of them? Do you have any beauty related New Year's resolutions? And what beauty products or brands do you want to try out this year?

Monday, 25 January 2016

On Friday you saw what I thought of the Degustabox Healthy New Year Box and Look Fantastic have taken a similar New Year's approach to this month's beauty box with an appropriate detox theme. So if one of your New Year's Resolutions is to start taking better care of yourself beauty-wise, then this really is the box for you.What I really love about this month's box is the fact that there is a real mix of products, as this isn't always the case with certain beauty boxes. Sometimes you'll find that an emphasis is placed upon skincare, for example but in the Detox Box there's the perfect blend of haircare, skincare and make-up.

The inclusion of a clarifying shampoo in the first Look Fantastic beauty box of the year is an inspired choice. I've had the pleasure of putting this Kebelo shampoo to the test before and it really does do what it says on the tube. There's also a conditioner from their Silk range that works wonders on frizzy hair in particular (fellow frizz sufferers, I have an entire post dedicated to de-frizzing your locks in the works for the start of next month, so be sure to keep an eye out for that).Then we have a selection of skincare. I've actually been meaning to try out some more micellar waters and a New Year is as good an excuse as any really, to do just that. This one from Darphin is incredibly mild on the skin. It also smells absolutely gorgeous. When I heard the word 'Detox' in regards to this box and opened it up to be met with Nuxe's Nuxellence Detox, I couldn't think of a more apt fit. This little beauty is designed to be used overnight to recharge your skin and leave it looking refreshed. Then there's The Polish Method by Lancer. This promises to improve skin tone and texture in a gentle manner, a claim I certainly can't wait to put to the test. If you're already a fan of The Polish Method or have wanted to try it out for a while now, Look Fantastic currently have a huge bonus sized bottle worth £114 for just £76. I love it when they do deals like that.And last but not least, a make-up addition. This is a lovely golden/bronze shimmer powder from Bellapierre, admittedly a brand that does appear rather frequently in beauty boxes but I've yet to be disappointed by a product of theirs. My only slight issue with this month's box; the fact that the fabulously festive designs, as seen on the October, November and December boxes, are no longer. Surely I wasn't the only one who absolutely adored the gilded gold designs?So for me, the Look Fantastic Detox Box* has really started off 2016 with a bang. I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the year.What do you think of the Detox Edition of the Look Fantastic Beauty Box? Have you tried any of the products in this month's box? If so, what are your thoughts on them? And were any of your New Year's Resolutions beauty related?

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Sunday, 24 January 2016

Just before the New Year I received an exciting email from Boohoo about making a fashion resolution and what they meant by that was, 'what would I like to wear more of in 2016?' As soon as they asked I knew exactly what I'd had my eye on and had been wanting to try integrating into my wardrobe; dungarees. And not just any dungarees at that, I'm talking about black denim dungarees that still retained the look of my favourite black skinny jeans.After a quick browse of the Boohoo site, I found exactly what I was looking for in the Suzie black dungarees*.

Not only were they the perfect fit but as soon as I tried them on I thought of about twenty different ways that I could wear them. They also make me look like I've made a bit more of an effort than when I wear a t-shirt and jeans usually. I was particularly impressed with the quality of them and the fact that they fit my body and my curves without being too tight or too baggy. Now this isn't something that can be said for the dungarees that I had tried on via the High Street at the end of 2015.

I had planned on showing you a completely monochrome outfit with the Suzie dungarees being paired with one of my favourite tops from Forever 21 (you should hopefully be able to see it peeking out from under my coat) but the weather really did have other plans. I was absolutely freezing even with my trusty New Look coat (as featured in it's own outfit post a few months ago) on, as you might be able to tell from my little rosy red nose. I also threw on a pair of old Primark boots that I didn't mind getting a little bit ruined in the snow, instead of my new shoes which I had planned on debuting. Can you tell that I'm not exactly a pro fashion blogger? But I did get some pictures in front of the snow so surely that must count for something? Hehe.

I'm absolutely over the moon with my new black denim dungarees and I'm really glad that thanks to Boohoo I finally found a pair that worked for me.What trend or piece of clothing or accessory would you like to wear more of in 2016? Are you a fan of denim dungarees such as these? And would you like to see more outfit posts on Ellis Tuesday this year?

Friday, 22 January 2016

It's the first Degustabox of 2016 and of course it was going to be healthier than usual. It wouldn't be the start of a new year without a bit of a health kick, now would it? As with every Degustabox review that I do, I have a fantastic and exclusive discount code for you to use to take a massive £6 off (in previous months it had been £3 off) the £12.99 price tag. All you have to do is enter the code BLDEG15when you register. So what exactly does the Healthy New Year box comprise of, well let's see;

Barilla products are a real staple in our house so it's always a real pleasure to find something or some things from them included in my Degustabox, even if they are starting to appear rather more frequently in recent boxes. Talking of products I've tried via Degustabox before, the Drink Me Chai Latte is really yummy and at just 42 calories a cup, it's definitely a guilt free sweet treat at that. Then there's the Betavivo, which when I first pulled it out of the box I thought looked a little strange. But when you realise that it's actually a cereal it starts to make a bit more sense as to why it looks like it does. If you're looking to lower you cholesterol and blood glucose then this could be the cereal for you.

And if you're looking to go dairy-free or reduce your dairy intake, particularly when it comes to milk, the KoKo Dairy Free milk is a great alternative and I'm also absolutely loving the Nuva waters too. I bet most of us will have said that we are going to try and drink more water this year and by drinking some with a hint of different flavours it sure does make it go down easier, well at least for me anyway.As for the Red Square Toffee, now this stuff is just brilliant. Toffee vodka! How could that not work well? The Crabbie's Light Ginger Beer is also another great way of still enjoying the odd tipple without as many of the usual calories.

When it comes to snacking, especially if you're trying to watch what you're eating, it can be difficult to find options that are actually tasty. Well anywhere near as tasty as the sweets, crisps and chocolate that I usually find myself grazing on throughout the day. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with the snack-like products that were included in this month's box. My absolute favourite discovery in this month's 'healthy' box has to be the Hip Pops. The salt and vinegar flavour in particular is incredible. And then when it comes to sweet treats, the Nothing But fruit and veg snacks are surprisingly tasty and with one packet counting towards my 5 a day they're something that I can certainly get on board with. Additionally, the Fabulous Bakers and Compete Energy bars make for great breakfast eats as well.For a healthy box, particularly when I'm someone who favours flavour above anything else, I was definitely impressed with the Healthy New Year box. I'm already looking forward to seeing what Degustabox have in store for the rest of 2016.So what do you think of this month's box? Have you tried any of the products featured in January's box before? And did you make any health related New Year's resolutions for 2016? If so, how are you getting on with them?

Wednesday, 20 January 2016

As I mentioned in my What's New On Ellis Tuesday in 2016 post, this year I'm going to be running little monthly giveaways as a way of thanking those of you who continue to read and support me and my blog. This means that there will be twelve opportunites for me to share the love, with hopefully a few more slightly bigger giveaways dotted throughout the year as well.I can only apologise that it's taken me until the 20th of this month to get this month's giveaway up and running but a combination of bad lighting and ill health is what's to blame for this. But don't worry the giveaway will still last two weeks, like I outlined in that previous post on the notion of monthly giveaways, so this month's giveaway will actually end midway through the first week of February, February 3rd at midnight to be precise.All of the prizes in today's post have been purchased by myself and I thought that I would start the New Year with a bit of a haircare bundle, especially as I've just had my hair cut, as you will see in this Sunday's post. Two of the products are absolute must-haves for me (I could sing the praises of Tangle Teezers and Invisibobbles over and over again) and the other three are brand new products which caught my eye when I was walking around Boots.

So January's haircare bundle prize includes:L'Oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary OilUmberto Gianni Curl Friends Create A Curl Scrunching JellyTangle Teezer The Original in Plum DeliciousToni & Guy Creative Style Spray WaxInvisibobble The Traceless Hair Ring 3 Pack in Innocent WhiteAnd to enter it's as simple as completing the Rafflecopter form below;a Rafflecopter giveawayAnd here are the rules:This giveaway is UK only (I'm hoping to do more international giveaways as the year progresses).There will be one winner.There are two mandatory entries: you mustbe following Ellis Tuesday on Bloglovin' (link here) and leave a comment below.For additional entries you can follow me on Twitter (link here), follow me on Instagram (link here), follow me on Pinterest (link here) and tweet about the giveaway.The giveaway will run until February 3rd at midnight.The winner will be picked at random by Rafflecopter. The winner will then have 48 hours to send me over their details or I will pick another winner. The prize will then be sent by me.Best of luck to everyone who enters and thank you again for reading and supporting Ellis Tuesday!

Friday, 15 January 2016

Now that it's officially 2016 and the first month of this year is already half over, it feels like the perfect time to start getting properly excited about my upcoming trip to Orlando, Florida later in the year. Okay, so I might not be going until late September/early October but the fact that we booked up straight away for 2016 when we last visited in 2014 means that I've been waiting some time for 2016 to get started. And as I'm starting to think about my holiday and what I'm hoping to do whilst I get there, I thought that I would share 10 of the things that I'm looking forward to most. I also know that quite a few people and fellow bloggers are visiting Orlando, Florida for the first time this year so hopefully this might give them some inspiration, that's if they need any to be honest but here are the 10 things that I'm already really excited about;1. The warmth - Now this immediately sprung to mind as I'm currently sitting in about three layers of clothing, which include fleece pyjamas, my big fluffy dressing gown and a pair of cosy socks and I have the heating on as I type this. Living in Scotland it's very, very rare to experience a truly warm day here. That rare that I've almost forgotten what the heat of the sun feels like. And even though the holiday technically begins when I arrive at the airport ready to board my flight, I know that it won't feel totally real until I step off the plane at Orlando International to be met by a wave of heat and humidity.2. Shopping and not only that but Christmas shopping - As we'll be there in October this means that it's totally acceptable to start my Christmas shopping whilst I'm there. I will probably be operating in a 'one present for so and so and one present for me' type of mentality but nonetheless, I can't wait to see what I can pick up whilst I'm there. That and the fact that I'll be able to get a lot more for my money and pieces that I could only dream of finding in the UK. Let's just hope that it all fits in my suitcase on the way home!3. Sephora - And whilst we're on the topic of shopping, how could I not mention Sephora? Do you think it might be too early to start thinking about what I hope to add to my Sephora basket whilst I'm there? I'm also hoping that they might just have some of the Christmas gift sets in the stores when I'm there too. I've definitely got my fingers crossed for that.4. Epcot's Illuminations: Reflections of Earth - Ever since I first visited Orlando back in 2001, Epcot's Illuminations fireworks display is synonymous with all of my happiest memories and previous trips to the Sunshine State and it's also one of my favourite ways to spend an evening mid-trip. It's also fantastic to try and spot them when you're out for dinner or shopping, especially if you're relatively near Disney property at the time. For some reason it makes me feel like a child again and I don't think that there's been a time when I haven't gotten a little emotional watching it from the World Showcase.

5. ALL THE FOOD - I'm already starting to drool a little/a lot when I think about all of the food that I'm going to be consuming in the US. Even with my IBS, last time I was there I managed to work out what kinds of foods and restaurants would work for me and my tummy and that even includes some of the big American chain restaurants and fast food establishments that you just have to pay a visit to (give me all the McDonald's McChicken's, Auntie Anne's Pretzel Nuggets, KFC wedges and Johnny Rocket's food that I can physically eat!)

6. Visiting Disney Springs for the first time - When I was last in Orlando Downtown Disney, or what it is now known as; Disney Springs, was getting ready for it's big transition and as a result a lot of it was blocked off and under construction. I'm really looking forward to seeing what they've been working on and spending hours and I can imagine, quite a few dollars, in the process.

7. Wal-Mart and Target - Now this might seem like an odd thing to get excited about, especially to my American readers but I could happily spend hours and hours in these stores, which I normally do when I'm there, with my jaw constantly on the floor. The prices, the products, how could I not run around the stores like a small child? I'm also so excited to be reacquainted with some of my favourite American treats and as we're there in the run up to Halloween that means one thing; the candy aisle! What's your favourite American candy?

8. Taking a dip in the pool - Swimming is one of the rare forms of exercise that I actually enjoy yet I don't know the last time that I went swimming here at home. There's nothing better than waking up to an early swim (just imagine doing that as part of your regular daily routine!), taking a dip after a long day at the malls/theme parks or swishing my feet around in the water with a good book in one hand and a glass of ice cold Floridian orange juice in the other.

9. Exploring places I've not yet discovered - Despite holidaying in Orlando over ten times now, there are still so many places that I've yet to discover or spend time exploring. The plan for this year is to visit some of Florida's parks, reservations, beaches and even some of the non-touristy areas of town. If anyone has any tips or recommendations of places like these that I just have to visit, please let me know below.10. Spending time with family - Last but not least, what really does make the holiday to Orlando one that I truly treasure. Since we all operate on different schedules ordinarily here in the UK, our biennial holidays are one of the rare times that we all spend a significant chunk of time together. This has it's ups and downs, mostly ups but any family unit can get a bit strained when you spend 24 hours a day together for a number of weeks.Have you got any holidays planned for this year? If so, where are you flying off to in 2016? And who else loves Orlando, Florida like I do? I also meant to say again just in case you haven't heard me mention it before but I'm planning on vlogging my trip. Is that something that you would potentially like to see?

Wednesday, 13 January 2016

As you might have heard me say if you read my What I Got In The Boxing Day & January Sales post, my aim for 2016 is to only buy things that I know I'm going to get a lot of wear or use out of. And in recent months and years to be fair, my look has been all about the monochrome pieces. Whilst I do love a good pop of colour from time to time nothing looks more put together on me than a black and white pairing, so I thought that I would have a little look online to see if any new monochrome pieces caught my eye and I was definitely pleasantly surprised.

Here are some of my top picks and I might have already added one or two to my shopping basket today as a result of compiling this wishlist;

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What do you think of my picks? Are you a fan of black and white ensembles? If so, have you seen any other great monochrome pieces on the High Street recently? Or what is your favourite fashion trend?

Sunday, 10 January 2016

Anyone who's read Ellis Tuesday, especially at this time of year, before, will know just how much I love a good sale but this year I was pretty restrained, well restrained for me. I could easily have cleared the shelves in Lush when it came to all of their brilliant Christmas gift sets and limited edition products but instead I just kept asking myself 'do you really need it?' before getting carried too away.This year my aim is to stop buying things that I don't really need. That's not to say I won't treat myself from time to time but a lot of what I do buy, particularly in the sales, goes unused for months if not years. So I was a little more picky this year and this is what I picked up;

The first place that I headed to early on Boxing Day morning was Lush and even though I could have left with as many Christmas gift sets, bath bombs and bubble bars as I could have possibly carried, I decided to be quite restrained and stick to something I know that I love and use. I managed to get three big bottles of my beloved Snow Fairy and since I won't be able to get my hands on it again until Winter, this felt like a justified purchase. Who else makes sure to stock up on Snow Fairy when it goes into the sale?

I then made my way to Boots to see if I could get my hands on a few Soap & Glory Christmas gift sets and I was over the moon to see a few of the ones that I had my eye on still sitting on the shelf. The first one I spied and it's hard not to notice it, was the Soaper Star set. Down from it's original price of £20, which was already a big bargain, to £10, the Soaper Star set comprises of seven great products. And when you consider the fact that just the Clean On Me Shower Gel is £6.50 on it's own and this whole set is just £10, I think you'll agree that it's a real bargain. It also includes a full size The Scrub Of Your Life, a pair of pink cosy socks, a shower puff, a tub of The Righteous Butter and two travel sized tubes of Hand Food and Heel Genius.

I then spotted the Crazy Sexy Kohl set. I've wanted to try Soap & Glory's eyeliners for a while now so to find a set that includes five gorgeous shades for just £7, down from £14, really did blow my mind. I'll be sure to review these once I've put them to the test.

And how could I leave this fantastic gift set behind? I've mentioned over and over again just how much I adore Soap & Glory's body butters so to have all five of their body butters in travel sized form is fantastic. I've also never tried Flake Away before so that was what swung it for me in terms of adding this to my basket, that and the £8 price tag. What's your favourite Soap & Glory scent?

Sadly I missed the Boots online sale where all of the Christmas Yankee Candles halved in price. But I did make a trip into Glasgow City Centre to see if I could pick up my favourite Yankee Candle Christmas candle; Christmas Cookie and a large jar of it at that but sadly both Clintons and my local Yankee Scotland store had completely sold out of it. However, I did spy a large jar of a new Christmas favourite sitting on the shelf. Berry Trifle has quickly made it into my top 5 Yankee fragrances despite it only being released this Winter. It just smells so good! What is your favourite festive Yankee Candle fragrance?

I then headed to John Lewis to pick up an online order when I found myself distracted by the sale section. I've been looking for a backpack for a good while now and I hadn't seen any that took my fancy until I saw this one. It was originally £39 down to £19.50 and anyone who knows me knows just how much I love all things leopard print. I can't wait to take this with me on holiday to Florida this year as it will be great for days out, trips to the malls and any Disney excursions plus it's made out of a material that means it won't get ruined either in the Scottish weather or the Floridian downpours.

And last but not least. I've had my eye on this bag since I first saw it in Accessorize a number of months ago, not that I needed another cross body bag but when I spotted it in the sale I couldn't leave it behind. The colour is one I don't own any handbags in despite loving it and it's a great size for those days when all I need to hand are my essentials.So what do you think of my sale buys and savings? Did you bag any bargains in the Boxing Day or January sales? And are you more of a fan of shopping online from the comfort of your home or battling the crowds in the shops?

Wednesday, 6 January 2016

Christmas may be well and truly over but I finally got a chance to take photographs of What I Got For Christmas this week when the weather improved slightly. I've loved seeing what everyone else received for Christmas so hopefully this will be a post that most of you enjoy and here are the presents that I was very lucky and grateful to receive this Christmas;

As someone who loves nothing more than curling up and watching a good movie or TV show, I always make sure to ask for a DVD or two when it comes to Christmas and my birthday and this year both The Ricky Gervais Show and Trainwreck were at the top of my list. I'm a big Karl Pilkington fan so The Ricky Gervais Show is the perfect gift for me and Kevin Bridges' latest stand up DVD is just brilliant. We watched it over Christmas and it was fantastic. I've still to watch Trainwreck as it's been put on the back-burner now that I've started watching Making A Murderer on Netflix but I'm planning on bringing back my 'What I've Been Watching' style posts, with a bit of a twist for 2016, so I'll definitely be sharing my thoughts on it once I've seen it.Also how amazing are Cadbury's Snow Bites? I only discovered them this Christmas and I'm already a little upset that I'll need to wait until December to get my mitts on more of them.

Every Christmas my Mum likes to buy me a cosy pair of pyjamas and she couldn't have picked a better pair than these Snoopy ones from Primark this year. They are honestly the softest pyjamas that I've ever owned and the inside of the sweatshirt top is completely lined in the same soft material. They definitely make getting changed out of my pyjamas in the morning that much harder.I also received a fantastic elephant hottie for those days and nights when the warmth of a water bottle is needed but unlike a water bottle, you heat this little lovely up in the microwave.And whilst I normally have a pretty good idea what I'll be receiving on Christmas morning, there was one big parcel where I had absolutely no idea what it was. I ripped off the wrapping paper to be met with a Build-A-Bear box and when I peeked inside I couldn't help but get as excited as I would have when I was a child. It was The Grinch! The Grinch is one of my very favourite Christmas movies and my Mum remembered me saying 'look it's The Grinch' when we walked past Build-A-Bear just before Christmas. Even though I turn 24 this year this present made me feel like a four year old in the best way.

When I opened this I honestly couldn't believe that it was finally mine. If you caught either of my Christmas Wishlist posts, either in 2014 or 2015, then you'll know that I've had my eye on this gift set for years now. Bonbon is one of my favourite scents and having it packaged in this way makes me love it even more.

And how stunning is this Models Own set? I absolutely adore their Colour Chrome collection. I would have to say that it's my favourite nail polish discovery of last year so to have the entire range in mini form is just amazing.

I also received a gorgeous large notebook, perfect for getting me and the blog organised this year, which just so happened to have a great quote and one that was etched in a wonderful copper/rose gold text. If you're looking for something similar be sure to check out the stationery section of your local TK Maxx and that's also where I found the 'My Favourite Moments Of The Day Journal'. Basically you write down a moment a day that made you smile and you can look back at how even an uneventful day or week had some great moments. This immediately spoke to me as a lot of the time my health can get me down but there's always something to smile about no matter how bad it gets. I might actually do a full post on it soon to show you exactly how it works and what I've been filling in. And how cute is the Christmas card my parents got me? A cat, a pun and a bejeweled nose = my idea of a perfect card.I also got a new TV for my bedroom and a Roku box so I can now finally watch Netflix and YouTube in my room. It sure beats catching up on my YouTube subscriptions on my phone screen and I can now binge watch right into the early hours.What did you get for Christmas this year? Are you a fan of these kinds of posts? And which of my presents is your favourite?

Sunday, 3 January 2016

I have to say, I'm really proud of what I managed to achieve on here in 2015. I went into more detail in my looking back on 2015 post but basically I fell even more in love with blogging, which I didn't think was possible, worked with some of my favourite brands, discovered new ones and managed to meet lots of fantastic people. I've been thinking of ways to take Ellis Tuesday into the New Year and here are a few of them. As the year progresses I may well come up with a few more but at the moment these are the ones that I want to make happen, starting this month. I'd love to hear what you think of them and if there's anything else you'd like to see, or see more of, on here in 2016 be sure to let me know below.Monthly GiveawaysI've been really fortunate to work with some incredible brands when it comes to giveaways in the past but the only problem is that in most cases there is only one winner. As a thank you to all of you who continue to read and support Ellis Tuesday I thought that I would introduce little monthly giveaways where all of the products are ones that I've purchased myself. This way there will be twelve winners over the course of the year and I can share the love with more of you in 2016. I might have even picked up a few things in the sales for the first couple of giveaways. How does this sound?YouTubeThis is something that I've been meaning to do for well over a year now but I finally want to make it a reality in 2016. And my main motivation for getting it all up and running is my trip to Florida later in the year. I'm planning on vlogging my trip over there which is something I can't wait to do. Has anyone got any tips on where to start when it comes to all things YouTube?More EntertainmentWhat I mean by this is more of a focus being placed on book and movie reviews. Whilst I used to have my monthly What I've Been Watching series, I'd love to re-introduce it this year but maybe with a bit of a twist. It would also be great to integrate book reviews and even posts on particular TV shows or my favourite movie genres/directors/actors throughout the year too. Who would like to see more posts like these?

What do you think of these new additions to Ellis Tuesday? Is there anything that you would like to see more, or consequently, less of on here in 2016? And what are your favourite kinds of posts to read on Ellis Tuesday?

Ellis Tuesday is a beauty, fashion & lifestyle blog brought to you by Ellis, a self confessed shopaholic from Scotland with an overwhelming stash of beauty products and a love for all things leopard print.